


Adoring Mystery

by BayleyWinchester



Series: '... Mystery' Series [1]
Category: Heathers: The Musical - Murphy & O'Keefe
Genre: Death, Eventual Romance, Everyone on the earth but these 7 have died, F/M, JD is normal, Kurt and Ram are not awful people, No one else is awake, Suicide, Suicide Attempt, Teen Angst, Teen Romance, Veronica and the Heathers are friends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-06
Updated: 2018-01-07
Packaged: 2019-01-30 06:55:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 10
Words: 19,854
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12648447
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BayleyWinchester/pseuds/BayleyWinchester
Summary: When Heather Chandler woke up that morning she expected the rest of the world to wake up as well.When Heather Duke woke up the morning she expected to go to school like every other day.When Heather McNamara woke up that morning she expected to greet her parents like the other mornings.When Ram Sweeney woke up that morning he expected to be hungover and that would be his biggest problem.When Kurt Kelly woke up that morning he expected to be able to refresh is twitter timeline and see new content.When Jason Dean woke up that morning he did not expect to suddenly be hanging with the popular kids.When Veronica Sawyer woke up that morning she did not expect to fall in love.~~(Or: The first part in a series which follows teenagers as they struggle to survive in a world were everyone else fell asleep and never woke up)





	1. Waking Up

**Author's Note:**

> YAY! New story!
> 
> It's taken me forever to upload something new! I'm sorry! I had no idea what to write but here I am. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

‘Are they dead?’ Were Veronica’s fist thoughts as she stood over the unmoving bodies of her parents. They didn’t look like they were breathing and no matter how hard Veronica shoved they weren’t waking up. Deciding it’s better to be safe than sorry she pulled out her new Iphone and dialled 911.

No one answered.

She cussed loudly before re-ringing the emergency number, getting more and more worried as the minutes ticked by and no one picked up. She didn't know what to do, briefly she thought about trying to preform CPR but then quickly realised that she didn’t know how. 

This had been a normal morning, Veronica had woken up and went downstairs to make herself breakfast, she was confused at first when she noticed her parents weren’t there but didn't think much of it. It was time to leave for school when she went to look for them, her mother was supposed to take her to school, when she has found them still lying in bed perfectly still. 

Just as she was trying to call 911 for the fifth time her phone light up with a picture of Heather McNamara. Veronica quickly pressed the green button, hoping the Heather would know what to do. 

“Veronica.” Heather said before Veronica could start. “My parents aren’t waking up.”

She was in shock, “mine aren’t either.” 

“What? Seriously?” Heather said, her scratchy voice evidence she had been crying. “I called Heather, she said she would try and call her parents because they’re not home so I decided to call you.” She was referring to Duke, who’s parents were almost never in Ohio. “Apparently Heather called Heather before and her parents aren’t waking up either.”

Veronica pushed her hand against her forehead, walking away from her parents and towards her window. “Heather, I’m going to go next door and see what’s happening there.” She started jogging towards her front door, not bothering with shoes. 

Heather stayed on the line as she went, she was texting everyone she knew to see if anyone else was going through the same thing, no one replied expect Kurt who had said he didn't know, him and Ram had slept at a friends house and left before dawn. 

Knocking loudly on the door Veronica asked Heather if she was still there, to which she got a weak ‘yes’ in reply. After a few moments she knocked again and again she heard no movement. “Heather?” She asked realising no one was there, even though both the cars sat in the driveway. “Can you go see your neighbour as well?” 

“Yeah, sure.” Heather nodded although Veronica didn't know that. Listening to Heather get ready to go next door she went to the house on the other side of hers and knocked, and again no one answered her. Starting to panic Veronica looked up and down the street, every single car was in the driveway of it’s respective house, no movement were in the houses that Veronica could see. It was like a ghost town, silent and empty apart from her. 

She gave up and went back into her house, sitting at her kitchen table she messaged Heather Duke, ‘Any idea what’s happening?’

She got a reply almost instantly, ‘my parents aren’t replying to me. Heather and Heather’s parents aren’t waking up. You?’

‘My parents aren’t waking up either.’

‘Heather Chandler said that no one is replying to her either, only Kurt who is with Ram. Seems like the entire town has just’ the message stopped and Veronica sat as she waited for Duke to continue. ‘just died over night’. 

Veronica sighed in frustration and went to turn on the TV, all the stations she saw were normal and playing the scheduled show. No breaking news broadcasts that she could see. 

“Veronica?” Heather McNamara called from her phone. “I went to my neighbours house and no one answered. They have five full time staff!”

“I think you should come over.” Veronica finally said after a few minutes. “Tell the others to come over as well. Something’s not right here.”

Heather agreed and hung up with the promise to get the other Heathers to Veronica’s as well. She decided to check the news stations on her phone while she waited for her friends to arrive. Refreshing the page on her phone she sat down on her sofa, nothing happened. She frowned and refreshed the page again, and again nothing happened. The newest article was from 11pm the night before, almost 10 hours ago. Veronica opened her twitter app, refreshing the page to see the latest tweets, perhaps some one else was on here and as confused as she was. 

There were no new tweets. The latest tweet was at 11:16 the night before and was a friend of the Heathers retweeting a picture of Beyonce. She went onto trending, nothing that pointed to why no one was awake but she still clicked the top trend and selected latest, 11:45pm. 

Quickly she flipped over to Instagram before Facebook and then Tumblr, none of which showing anything posted after 11:45 the night before. Just as she was about to have a mental breakdown her friends arrived in her living room. 

“What the hell?” Duke exclaimed before anyone could greet the other.

They couldn't answer her, no one knew what was happening. “I told Kurt and Ram to come over as soon as possible, they’re the only people that are awake from what I can see.” Chandler said as they all sat down.

“I checked social media, nothing posted after 11:45pm last night.” McNamara started.

Veronica nodded, “same, nothing after 11:45pm.” 

Both Heather Duke and Chandler pulled their own phones out and tried to update their accounts as well. “The one day I don’t start my morning with twitter.” Chandler scoffed, “but yeah, nothing after 11:45pm last night.” 

“Are they dead?” Duke asked after about five minutes of silence. 

“I don’t know, my parent’s looked dead.” Veronica answered. “They weren’t breathing.”

McNamara and Chandler both nodded agreeing with Veronica’s statement. 

There was a knock at the door, Veronica and Chandler went to get it together, Kurt and Ram stood in front of them, both looking like little children who were scared of the dark and not like the bullies they were. Chandler and Veronica showed them into the living room where they sat beside the other Heathers. 

“Our parents weren’t waking up.” Ram began after a brief moment of tense silence. “We went to our houses after Heather said what had happened.” He continued gesturing to Chandler slightly. “They’re fucking dead.” 

Again no one had anything to say so they didn’t say anything. Instead they all sat in silence thinking over their morning. It was barely nine o’clock and they had already lost their parents and most likely everyone else. 

“Should we-“ Kurt cleared his throat. “Should we go and look for people? See if anyone else is alive?” 

They all looked at each other for a moment before nodding, they had nothing else to do. As Duke and McNamara prepared some sandwiches, incase they were out for a long time, they all secretly hoped they entire world was playing some sick prank on them. Once the Heathers were done they all followed out to Veronica’s car, it fit the most people. No one said anything but they didn't want to split up. 

Kurt dibsed driving so they all piled in with him in front, McNamara ended up sitting on Ram’s lap, not that either of them minded a whole lot. The other Heathers sat in the back with them while Veronica sat shotgun beside Kurt. 

She was thinking as she started out the window, she was thinking about a mysterious bad boy who had only just arrived in Sherwood, who had shot Kurt and Ram already, and who Veronica had never talked to and didn't even know his name, but still she sat and thought about him. Thinking about how she really wished that he would be one of the kids who was awake in this town and how she really hoped that they found him.


	2. A Long Day of Driving Around

She looked around quickly, seeing if anything was out of the ordinary. They had been looking around their town for hours but couldn't see any sign of life. After a panic attack from McNamara and a near breakdown from Kurt they had decided to drive to the next town over, Mark Center, to see if they could find anyone there. It was only a ten minute drive and the group had decided to stop at the local 7/11 to get some snacks since the sandwiches had long been eaten. This lead Veronica to look around the store to see if anything had been taken, she just wanted to see some form of human life. 

Veronica didn't think there was anyone anywhere anymore, no new photos on Instagram or cried for help on Twitter, no one had been active on Messenger since 11:45pm last night, all of them had gone through all of their contacts trying to find someone else. They had also all posted on their own social media, which all the school followed, to go to Veronica’s house if they were awake. No one had responded to their calls. Still, Veronica remained positive on the outside she knew she was the smartest one of the group and that they all looked to her in times of trouble. Sure Heather Chandler was the most popular but she, and the others, needed Veronica to keep them sane. 

“Who would have guessed that our tiny fucking town would have this bull shit.” Ram complained as he warmed up a toasted sandwich in the microwave. 

They all agreed silently and started packing up, Veronica had suggested that they grab enough for the day since they didn't know when they were stopping again. Her inner ‘Doomsday Prepper’ was already coming out. They had each stolen plastic bags from the front and had filled them with things that would last the longest, bottles of water and granola bars or packets of nuts were common. 

Their heads snapped up and they were filled with hope when the heard the sound of a motorbike driving into the carpark. All seven of them rushed out of the building to see who it was. Veronica was happily surprised when she saw the dark hair and long trench coat on the owner of the motorbike. The new guy. She tried to think back to what Heather McNamara had called him, she hadn’t paid much attention, to focused on him to understand what she was saying. It took her a moment to click but she finally did, Jason Dean. 

He parked the bike beside her car and stepped off, looking at the group with distrust. The others seemed to recognise him as well as they all had frowns on their faces. 

“You’re the dick who shot me.” Kurt was the first to speak, his voice lower than normal. 

Jason just shrugged, he didn't seem to concerned that he had shot two people with blanks. He walked past the group and went into the 7/11 with out a word. 

“Of all the people!” Heather Chandler scoffed moving towards their car, the others following her. 

“Shouldn’t we talk to him, see what he thinks.” Veronica called out, stopping the rest on them in their tracks. She wasn't looking at them, she was staring into the building trying to see what he was doing. 

“Why?” Ram asked. “He shot me.”

Veronica sighed and turned to face them, “yeah but-“

“This isn’t a ‘yeah but’ situation.” Duke interrupted. 

“He could be the only person left alive.” Veronica argued. 

Heather McNamara quickly looked around before speaking, “I think we should talk to him.” 

“Fine.” Chandler said, rolling her eyes, “Veronica can go talk to him. We’ll wait in the car.” The other Heathers and Kurt and Ram walked past her and got into the car, sitting in the seats they had occupied the entire day. Heather Chandler stayed for a moment later, watching Veronica, suddenly she smiled. It was the smile she reserved for the Heathers and Veronica, the smile for the friends who wouldn't stab her in the back, her true smile. “You like him.”

“I don’t know him.” Veronica argued back, even she would admit it sounded weak. 

Heather rolled her eyes again, crossing her arms and leaning back slightly. “I thought you had given up on high school guys?”

“Never say never.” 

Heather cracked another smile and nodded. “I agree with you though, try and get him to come with us.” She turned back and started walking to the car, Veronica was about to walk into the 7/11 when Heather called to her, “at least we know he can use a gun. Might come in handy.” They both giggled lightly. 

“Greetings and salutations.” Jason said when Veronica walked in. “Want a slushie?”

She shrugged, “sure, why not?”

“Did you say cherry or coke?” 

“Cherry.” 

He nodded and got to work pouring them both a slushie, handing hers when it was done, “so, why are you in her?”

“It’s my job to get you to join us.” Veronica responded taking a drink. 

“Oh?” He was interested by her answer, “not every day the populars ask to be my friend.” 

She laughed loudly, nodding. “We don’t know what’s happening right now. Everyone is kind of freaked out, we’ve been driving around all day trying to find someone else but we didn’t find anyone. We’re headed over Mark Center now, it’s a small town about ten minutes west, see if anyone is there. I was wondering if you wanted to come?” 

“I don’t think you’re friends will agree.”

“Heather said you should, they listen to her.” She shrugged taking another drink. 

He rolled his shoulder and then nodded, “sounds good, but I have one condition.” He paused allowing Veronica to nod before he started again. “I’d like to know your name.” 

Veronica laughed, suddenly realising that she hadn’t told him her name before. “Veronica. Veronica Sawyer.” 

“Why was I expecting Heather?” 

“Most people do. So are you coming, Jason?” 

He nodded but frowned as well, “please call me JD.” 

“JD.” Veronica replied, “I like it.” 

“So, you have any idea what’s happening?” He asked her.

“I was about to ask you that.” She sighed. “I woke up this morning to find my two dead parents in their bed and no one answering my calls expect for the Heathers.”

He nodded slowly, “I didn't notice until I left my house and realised that no one was on the road. Drove to school to see if anyone was there, waited for about half an hour after the bell but couldn't find anyone. Not a single person drove past me while I waited. I tried calling and texting some friends from around the country but no answer. I went back home to see if my dad was there, he was in bed and it looked like he was just sleeping but,” he paused and looked up at her. “Yeah. Looked on the internet trying to find something but couldn't see anyone active anywhere. I looked at news sites from around the world, even as far as New Zealand but nothing after 11:45 last night our time.”

“It’s so confusing. Did everyone just die suddenly?” 

“Looks like it.” They walked out of the 7/11 together and headed towards her car. The others sat there staring at them, Heather Chandler leant over to whisper in Duke’s ear who in turn whispered into McNamara’s. They were all smiling and Veronica could tell they were up to something. “Should I go on my bike or…” JD trailed off. 

“Come in the car. We can come and get your bike later if you want.” He nodded at her and they walked to the car, Veronica slid in the middle, sitting in between JD and Kurt at the front. 

“So why is trench coat kid coming with us?” Ram asked before Kurt had turned the car on. 

Heather Duke hit his shoulder, “maybe cause he’s the only other person alive?”

“Did it really have to be this psycho?” Ram continued. Veronica looked over to JD who didn't seem to care all that much. “Cause I would rather it was one of the fucking nerds of Westerburg and not this freak.”

“That’s enough, Ram.” Veronica warned. “This is my car so it’s my rules.” 

He scoffed at her, which was what JD reacted to gripping his coat tighter in his hands. 

“Would you like to be left here alone and wait for us?” She asked him like he was a small child, he didn't reply but he did shut up so Veronica took that as a win and she sent Kurt a pointed look, he got the message and started the car. 

~~

“We can stay at mine.” Heather Duke suggested. They were deciding who houses to stay at, it seemed like they would stay at Duke’s since her parents weren’t in their bed. No one wanted to be alone. They had spent all day going around the two closest towns and had found nobody awake, at one point Kurt had stopped the car in the middle of the street and had ran to the nearest house to pound on the door. They had gone up and down that street banging on doors and shouting, trying to see if anyone was there. 

At the main streets of both towns they wrote their phone numbers in giant letters across the road with some paint Ram found in the hardware shop. They were all hopeful that their phones would start ringing. 

On the way back to their town the girls in the car had started posting under every trending tag on all their social medias, begging people to message them. So far their phones hadn’t shown any new messages. 

They had left Sherwood at eleven that morning with JD and it was almost seven at night when they returned. Everyone was exhausted, both physically and mentally. 

“Seems like a good idea.” Chandler agreed. “Anyone against it?” 

No one spoke up so they all decided to go back to Duke’s after they had gone and gotten JD’s bike. “I hate to bring the mood down but maybe, should we think about staying there for a long time?” Veronica asked hesitantly. “We don’t know what’s going to happen.”

“Maybe.” McNamara spoke after they had thought about. “We could just pack an over night bag or something and then if people aren’t awake by tomorrow we can ‘move in’?’” She used her fingers to air-quote move in.

“That’s a good idea.” Chandler agreed. “JD can take his bike and Veronica to their houses and then we can take her car and go to ours.” 

Veronica opened her mouth to protest, why would they take her car was the question she wanted to her ask but Chandler spoke first. “It’s the fastest way.” No one else spoke and went to their vehicles apart from Veronica and Chandler, the latter winked at her friend while the others walked away before joining them in the car. 

She scoffed but walked over to JD who was holding out his helmet for her to wear. “Please don’t go to fast.” She pleaded, eyeing the bike uneasily. 

“I’ve never come close to crashing and besides, no one else is on the road so we can do what ever we want.” She sighed at his response but put on the helmet and climbed on. “Yours or mine?” JD asked. 

“We should go to yours first.” Veronica answered, JD nodded and started the bike, speeding out of the parking lot before Kurt had even turned the car on. 

“Why’d you make Veronica go with the weirdo?” Ram asked as they drove to his house, he could sit in the front with Kurt but had decided to pull McNamara onto his lap again so Chandler had gone to the front. 

“None of your business.” Chandler scoffed at him. 

He groaned lowly, “you three are up to something.”

“Never said we weren’t.” She replied. “I just said it’s none of your business.” 

“Savage.” Duke muttered, earning a glare from Ram. 

Heather Chandler ignored her and started telling them what they should get, it was just the basics. Clothes for the night and for tomorrow, phone charger, toothbrush. They had all been to a sleepover before but for some reason it felt comforting to be told what to get. They then decided who’s houses they were going to in what order, Ram, Kurt, McNamara, Chandler and then to Duke’s. Veronica and JD should arrive before them but Duke had told them to go the supermarket and take some ready made pizzas and french fries for dinner since she didn't know what they had at home.

It took them about an hour to gather all four of their bags and get to Duke’s house, the sun was slowly setting as they arrived. Veronica and JD were already at the top of her drive sitting on his bike and sharing a bag of jelly candies. Two back packs as well as plastic bags sat at their feet. They got up and gathered the bags, JD taking the majority, and followed silently as the others walked ahead of them. 

“Wow, Heather, your house looks way cooler in the day time.” Kurt whistled. 

She just rolled her eyes. “Let’s get the food on and then sort out rooms.” They all followed her into the kitchen, they sat on the bar stools as she and McNamara busied themselves putting the pizza and chips into the oven and setting out plates. “So, how we are rooming?” 

“We could all sleep in your living room, Heather.” McNamara suggested. “Drag some mattresses in there.” 

Veronica looked around everyone’s faces, everyone expect for JD looked happy at the suggestion. She knew why, they were scared. Scared that they weren’t going to wake up the next morning. “I think that’s a good idea.” 

“Yeah.” Ram nodded, his voice a little higher than normal. “Let’s do that.” 

“Group sleepover.” Chandler laughed. “Go set it up boys.” 

They went to protest, Kurt and Ram not wanting to be with JD and JD not really wanting to leave Veronica, the only person who seemed to actually like him. Heather Chandler just waved her hand and dismissed them. The girls all giggled as they went to set up the room. 

“So, Veronica, what were you and Jesse James talking about?” Heather Chandler asked. Veronica groaned, knowing that tonight was going to be a long night.


	3. The Talk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is dedicated to scoutsmockingbird for commenting on the first two chapters and supporting this! There's a little nod towards one of their books, see if you can find it ;)
> 
> Enjoy!

“We weren’t talking about anything.” Veronica muttered. 

Duke scoffed, “so were you being mimes when we arrived?” 

“We were just,” Veronica paused, sighing lowly, “talking.” 

“About?” McNamara pushed. 

“School, you guys, where he had lived and then we started talking about what’s happening. We were only there for, like, fifteen minutes before you arrived. Nothing deep or meaningful.” Veronica looked up and saw the looks on their faces, they didn't believe her at all. “I don’t know what you are thinking but it’s not like that.” 

Chandler turned to get some sauce from the fridge as she spoke, “so you don’t have feelings for him?” 

“Have you seen the way she looks at him, of course she does, it’s disgusting.” Duke responded causing McNamara to giggle. 

“Shut up, Heather.” Chandler glared at her friends before turning back to Veronica. “Come on, Ronnie, you can tell us.” 

Veronica shrugged slightly and looked down, “I don’t know.”

“That’s code for ‘yes, I love him’, Veronica.” McNamara said nodding her head. “I don’t know means I do know.” 

“No, it means I don’t know how I feel and that I have bigger issues to deal with right now.” 

Duke was about to respond when they heard a large bang and then a muffled groan from upstairs. After a moment of silence came, “fuck you, you fucking psycho!” From Kurt. 

“We should go and-” McNamara started, before she finished they had all stood up and were going upstairs, picking up the pace when they heard another groan and what sounded like a punch. 

“Well fuck!” Chandler exclaimed as they took in the scene in front of them. Kurt was half on the back of the sofa, his back bent into a strange angle, his nose was bleeding slightly and one eye was already swollen. Ram was lying flat on his back, his arms wrapped around his stomach as he groaned. JD was leaning against the far wall, arms crossed over his chest and a sullen look on his face, but unharmed from what they could see. When they walked in he looked up, making eye contact with Veronica who frowned at him. 

“What the hell happened here?” Chandler continued. 

“That fucking prick-“ Ram began from the floor before JD interrupted him with a scoff as he pushed himself off the wall and walked towards the girls at the door. “-That fucking prick attacked us for no reason!” He continued, glaring daggers at the boy who decided to ignore him. 

Veronica rolled her eyes, “I doubt it was for no reason.” JD raised an eyebrow at her, surprised she was sticking up for him and not the fuck boys he had just fought. Veronica continued speaking, “Heather, help the two idiots and set up. JD and I will go and make sure the food doesn’t burn.” The Heathers looked at each for a brief moment before she interjected, “no, stop thinking like that.” 

She turned, missing the looks the Heathers continued to share, and motioned for JD to follow her back downstairs. “Why’d you do that?” JD asked as they walked. 

“What?” 

“Stick up for me and not them, you don’t know what happened.” He paused and looked down at her, “I could of started that, you don’t know me well enough to know I wouldn’t.” 

She rolled her shoulders, a habit she had already picked up from him after one day, “no, I don’t know you but I do know Kurt and Ram. They fight all the time.” 

JD hummed softly but didn't reply. They were alone for ten minutes before the others came downstairs, Veronica was just plating the food. Dinner was spent in tense silence as each thought about the day. All of them had lost their parents, and everyone else in the world. McNamara and Kurt had both lost a little sister. 

“We should probably talk about it.” Veronica stated when they had finished eating and were siting in silence at the table. 

“You were always one for talking.” Chandler scoffed, “so, what should we discuss?” 

Veronica pursed her lips, not liking Heather’s accusing tone, “I don’t know but we can’t just pretend everything is okay when it obviously isn’t.” 

“Well I don’t really want to talk about the fact that everyone I love is fucking dead.” Ram sneered at Veronica. 

“Oh, so you’re just going to punch something instead?” Veronica snapped gesturing at JD. 

Kurt glared at her, the tension in the room building, “yeah, I’m going to get drunk and punch a wall then when I go to bed I either want to wake up to normalcy or I don’t want to wake up.” 

“Don’t say things like that.” McNamara said softly. “No point dying.” 

“Says the girl who tried to off herself because someone hurt her feelings.” Kurt said in a baby voice before laughing. 

Chandler and Duke jumped to their feet, both griping the boy’s shoulders tightly with their fake nails digging into his skin, “say that again you little shit.” Duke sneered. No one fucked with McNamara when the other Heathers were there. Ever since Veronica found her in the school bathroom with an empty bottle of pills they had become over protective of her, not letting anyone they perceived as a threat near her.

“Okay.” Veronica said, standing and gently pulling the girls away from him. They went and sat back beside McNamara, still glaring at Kurt. She continued, “we lost our families today and that’s gotta way heavy on all of us.” 

“Not really, I hadn’t seen my parents in two months.” Duke shrugged, “my life goes on.” 

Veronica looked closely at her face, noticing the ever so slight shift into sadness and grief as Duke spoke. She knew her friends and she knew that this was affecting them all, some different than others. “Okay, what could this be?” She said, deciding to let it drop for now. 

“Some sort of crazy disease?” McNamara asked. 

“Wouldn’t there be symptoms?” Ram replied, “people would of gotten sick and died at different times.” 

Duke nodded, “we would have heard about a disease before. Plus, that doesn't explain why we’re fine.” 

“If it was a disease,” Veronica started, “it would have to be almost impossibly fast acting and have no symptoms what so ever, and have random people that are immune even if they’re living in the same house as someone who has it.” She paused, thinking it over, “it has to have a one hundred percent kill rate.”

“Could it be something magical?” McNamara asked again. Everyone, including JD, raised an eyebrow at her suggestion. McNamara looked at Chandler for help with everyone’s confused stares. 

“Why are you looking at me? Do I look like a fucking witch?” Chandler snapped at her. 

“No, but you act like one.” JD muttered under his breath. Veronica was the only one to hear so everyone turned to look at her when she started laughing. 

She stopped laughing quickly when she noticed all the looks, clearing her throat she spoke, “shall we go and binge watch some Netflix while forgetting our problems?” 

Everyone agreed and rushed off to go upstairs and pretend this was just a normal summer party, JD and Veronica were left with the kitchen to tidy. As he was going, they heard Ram say, “finally, something I’m good at.” 

Once all the rubbish and food was cleared JD started washing the dishes while Veronica dried and put them away. As he was scrubbing he spoke, “are you okay, Veronica?” 

“I’m fine. Why?” She was surprised at his sudden question. She couldn't quite answer it, she had spent all day helping and worrying about her friends and not herself. 

“You lost your parents today as well.” 

“So did you.” She pointed the plate she was holding at him before continuing to dry it.

He shook his head, “my mum died years ago and I didn’t speak to my dad.” 

“I’m so sorry.” Veronica said sincerely, “I can’t imagine how hard that was.” 

“At least I don’t have to deal with it today.” He paused, “you however, you do, yet you decide to help your friends and pretend you’re fine. I was watching you at dinner, how you kept looking at everyones’ face and you just knew what to say.”

“I know my friends well.” She shrugged, “I’m used to dealing with them.” 

He finished cleaning the last plate and turned to face her, “they don’t seem to care about you.” 

“They do, they just-“ she sighed, “don’t know how to express it right. They’ve been popular for so long, it’s kind of messed with them.”

“So, how are you?” 

She smiled at him, “I’m fine.” 

“I don’t believe you.” He taunted her, wagging his finger in her face. “You can’t be.” 

“Okay fine, I’m used to bottling my emotions up.” She put the plate she was holding away and went to the door, motioning for him to exit the room. “Can we go and pretend everything is fine now?” 

“Sure.” He walked out first and she followed him up to Duke’s living room. Just before they got into the room he turned to her and said, “if you ever need to talk, I’m here.” 

Smiling she nodded, “same goes for you.”


	4. I Walk a Lonely Road

They were all plagued with nightmares that night, each waking up at different times to lie in silence and think about the days coming. All of them hoped that they would wake up to find everything back to normal. They prayed that they would hear cars driving by Duke’s house and their ringtones playing as their parents called them. 

Around six am that morning everyone was awake but sitting quietly on their own bed. Kurt and Ram had one mattress, Duke slept beside them with McNamara. Chandler and Veronica were on a different mattress with Chandler in between McNamara and Veronica while JD was on the sofa beside Veronica. They had put him as far away from the other boys in hopes it would keep any fights at bay. It had worked, everyone had lay there and had feel asleep quickly and quietly. 

“What’s the plan for the day?” Ram asked suddenly after clearing his throat. 

Everyone turned to face Veronica, who shrunk back slightly and her eyes went wide. She didn't know what they should do but everyone was looking to her. “Maybe we could go into Columbus?” 

“That’s like a three hour drive.” Chandler interjected, “why not somewhere closer?” 

“It’s the bigger so I thought it would make sense, statistically, if other people where awake, then they would be there.” Veronica explained. Plus, she added internally, we can stop in Lima and see if Martha was still alive. She chose not to tell the others of her secret plan. 

They thought it through before nodding, agreeing with her. “Let’s have some food and get ready then.” McNamara said. 

“Wait.” Veronica stopped them as people got up to get ready for the day, “we should try calling our parents and stuff first. Checking social media and the news.” They were scared, Veronica could tell, they didn't want to hear their parents answering machines. In the end they all agreed and continued to collect their stuff to go to one of Duke’s many bathrooms. Living in a mansion had it’s perks. Sleepovers at both McNamara’s and Duke’s were always fun. 

Veronica lead JD to one of the en suites and then went to another to get ready. After she had showered and gotten changed she sat on the neatly made bed and got her phone out, no new notifications. She dialled her mother’s number first, then her fathers, then she tried on messenger as well before trying their landline. It was at this moment when Veronica felt happy that they had a landline until no one answered. After that failure she tried calling her grandmother who lived in Florida, nothing. Texting her parents again she turned her phone off and made her way to the kitchen. 

McNamara and Ram were already there, talking quietly while she made seven bowls of cereal and hash-browns. They stopped talking when Veronica walked in, McNamara smiled at her as she sat down beside Ram at the table. With in half an hour they had all had breakfast and were waiting by the door. They were going to go each of their houses to collect more clothes, over breakfast they had decided to stop in Columbus before going to Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania for the night in hopes of finding some one there. 

Over breakfast they each checked their social medias and posted new posts in the different trending tags, nothing new had been posted and none of their posts had any interactions. They also went on different news sights, from across the world and found nothing. It seemed like the entire world had died. McNamara had to excuse herself at one point while she went to calm herself down. 

Veronica and JD were going on his bike to their houses, Chandler and McNamara were going in Duke’s car and Kurt and Ram were taking Veronica’s car. Duke was staying at her house to pack her own bag and collect snacks and drinks for the drive. They were going to meet back at Duke’s before all going in Veronica’s car. It was going to be crowded but no one wanted to split up, even for a few hours. 

“Look out for any sign of life as you go.” Veronica shouted at them before JD took off on his bike to her house. When they got to her house it took a moment for her to get off the bike, she was scared to go in and see her parents. 

“I can go in for you.” JD offered. 

She shook her head, “no, it’s fine.” She paused and got of the bike before gripping his arm, “come in with me?” 

He nodded and followed her up the path and to her porch were she stopped and collected her thoughts before unlocking the door and stepping inside. Everything was exactly the same as she had left it the day before. They went up to her silently, ignoring her parents room for the moment. JD sat on her bed as she moved about silently, packing a bag that would last about a week, which is what they had decided to do so they didn't have to worry about coming back. 

Once the bag had been packed and after JD had insisted her carried it, they went and stood outside her parents room. “You don’t have to go in.” JD whispered as he looked at her, the fear and sadness swam in her eyes. It was obvious to anyone that she was terrified. 

“I do. I need to.” She took a deep breath, calming herself down, before slowly opening the door. Her parents room was exactly the same, her fathers dirty top from days prior sat on top of the small armchair in the corner, the curtains where still closed and her mothers make up still sat on her white desk beside the bed. On the bed lay her parents, her father was lying on his back while her mother on her side facing away from Veronica and towards her husband. The room smelt musty and unused already. They didn't move when she opened the door, the didn't move when she burst into tears on the ground beside them and they didn't move as JD pulled Veronica out of the room. 

After Veronica was out of the room and was freshening up in the bathroom JD went back into their room. He took their pulse, like he had done when he had found his father lying on the threadbare couch of their apartment and like he had done when he had gone to the neighbour’s apartment to find the door unlocked and all four of them dead. Like everyone else, there was nothing. 

“Are you okay?” JD asked as he walked down the stairs. Veronica was already standing by the front door, her bag in her hand and a small picture frame in the other. When he got close enough she turned the picture to show him. It was off three people on a cliff overlooking the beach, two adults and a small child clutching an ice-cream. All of them were laughing and looking at each other. 

“We went to this cliff on my sixth birthday, some random offered to take the photo but then he ran away with the phone. I was so confused, we all were, but then later that day the police turned up with it and said he had felt bad so he turned himself in.” She let out a small, singular laugh. “Weirdest birthday I ever had.” 

They stood in silence for a few seconds, JD was watching her, worried she would snap again and break down. Veronica was thinking back to the day in the photo, the shock and randomness of it all made it one of her first clear memories. “We should go.” She said. “Get to yours.” 

JD nodded and they made their way back to his bike. Veronica slipped the small photo into her bag as they walked, JD pretended not to notice. 

The ride to his apartment complex was quick, Veronica didn't say anything when she noticed the sign that said ‘temporary apartments’ as they drove in. He told her to stay on the bike while he went in, she had tried to protest it but he had shut her down saying the house was a mess and there was nothing in there that she needed to see. 

So Veronica sat on the bike and waited for JD to go in. It didn't take him long, it was surprising quick. Almost as if he had the bag packed already, that he just picked it up and left. Within five minutes they were on their way back to Duke’s house. 

~~ 

Driving along the highway was disconcerting for all of them, there was no one. Veronica had expected to see cars with dead people inside considering the bodies where still in their houses but there was nothing. Not a single car sat on any of the roads they had driven along. It was like they had all gone home and died in their beds. It was all becoming to much for Veronica as she thought about what it could be. How could everyone just die in their homes? 

“Boulevard of broken dreams seems like a good song choice right now.” Ram had commented. No one had known what he was getting at until he played it and the first line came through the speakers, “I walk a lonely road.” They had all laughed for a moment before they realised the shit situation they were in.

Another thing they had noticed was the lack of animals. Wouldn’t pets be wondering the streets looking for food by now? Duke had bought it up and JD had quietly admitted his pet hamster had been dead this morning as well as his dad. They mood went down quickly after that. 

They had been driving for just over a hour and were about to go past Lima, where Martha would be. They were sitting in their original seats, Kurt, Veronica and JD at the front while the Heathers and Ram sat at the back. It had been awkward at first, with JD there, but they had mostly gotten over it when he offered his music after Ram’s phone died. Turns out Heather Chandler liked fall out boy and twenty one pilots. 

“Take the next exit.” Veronica commanded. 

Kurt looked at her like she was crazy. “Why? That’ll take us to Lima.” 

She nodded, “I know.”

“And why are we going to Lima?” Heather Chandler asked from the back. “Wait,” she paused thinking, “your old friend whats-her-name lives there.”

“Who?” Ram asked. 

“What was her name?” Heather muttered in reply, “I can’t remember.” 

McNamara answered her, “Martha, wasn’t it?”

“Yes!” Chandler responded, “she lives in Lima.” 

Veronica sighed, “yeah, I want to see if she is alive.” 

“If no one else is alive then why would she be?” Duke asked. “What makes her so special?”

“Same could be said for us.” Veronica replied softly. She was trying disparately to keep her temper under control. No point in getting angry, she was saying to herself. 

The exit came up and the Heathers tried to convince Kurt to keep going, to ignore Veronica while she pleaded with him to turn. Getting frustrated she lent over and whispered in his ear, “if you don’t turn this car I will tell everyone who you were calling out for last night.” 

The threat hung with him for a moment before he pulled to the exit lane to the horror of the Heathers who started yelling at him, wanting to get to their actual destination and not amuse Veronica with her mini road trip. 

“Thank you.” She muttered. Everyone was silent apart from Veronica giving out the simple instructions to her house. The house was the same as when Veronica had come to visit last, the cars were parked in the driveway and the lights were out. She told everyone to stay in the car while she went inside. She was more nervous than when she had gone into her house that morning, her hands were shaking and the ground seemed to sway as she got out of the car after JD who had been sitting against the door.

JD, who had been silent the entire time, lent against the car after he got out and asked Veronica quietly, “who was he calling out for?” 

Veronica beamed at him, “he was whimpering for his ‘rammy’ to come.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a while, my dudes. Sorry!
> 
> I don't know when he next update will be but I'll try and be faster :)


	5. They Started Driving

The car was silent as they drove down the empty highway to Columbus. No one had spoken, each one thinking about themselves and their new life. They didn't want to admit it but they were scared, scared of what the future held for them. Veronica had returned to the car after a few minutes by herself at Martha’s house, clutching a piece of paper to her chest. She had gotten in the car and told Kurt to start driving to Columbus. Everyone watched her, it was evident that she was lost deep in thought the entire time.

Veronica hadn't shared what was in the note that she read over and over again. 

As they were coming into the populated area heads turned to look out the windows of the car, trying to see any something of interest. Veronica continued to stare at her lap. JD could hear her mumbling quietly to herself but couldn't make out the words. 

“Pull over.” Ram instructed, breaking the hour long silence. 

“Why?” Kurt said, stopping the car in the middle of the street. “No need to.” 

Ram muttered something about his best friend being a smart-ass but got out of the car and went to the trunk. “Maybe he’s hungry?” McNamara said as they all watched him. Veronica had finally stopped being in her own world and looked up to see what he was doing. They expected him bring the bag of food Duke had pre-packed but instead he bought out a duffle bag no one had seen go in the car. 

Kurt barked out a laugh as Ram slid into the car, pulling McNamara back onto his lap, and opened he opened the bag. Inside was a white and red mega phone. “What the fuck?” Chandler glared at the jock. 

“What? We need to get the attention of anyone alive somehow.” Ram protested. 

“Why do you have that?” JD asked, his eyebrows raised. 

Ram shrugged, “I’ve had it for ages.”

“This is the stupidest idea you’ve had.” Duke sneered. 

“I think it’s a good idea.” Veronica disagreed. “He’s right, we need to get people’s attention.” 

Chandler looked between Ram and Veronica, “how is that going to help us?” 

“Roll down the window and shout through it while Kurt drives around. Look out for movement.” Ram explained. 

Veronica looked out the front window, her mind racing, they were parked on a street lined with shops. Hairdresser, pet store, pawn store, law firm, hardware store. “I have a better idea.” She voiced, still thinking of the logistics, “Kurt drive down to the hardware store.” Kurt didn't argue, instead he rolled the car down the street and stopped just outside of the shop. 

Veronica pushed JD out of the car so she could get out. Once they were outside he decided to follow her to the store instead of staying with the populars, who were looking at them with a mix of annoyance and fascination. 

“What’s your plan?” JD asked as they approached the darkened store. 

Veronica didn't reply, busy trying to open the locked door. JD pulled her arm back softly, making her stand behind him he picked up a rock the size of his hand from the front of the store and smashed it into the glass door. Yells were heard from the car as the alarm went off inside, the alarm was as loud as the car radio when turned all the way up. 

“If someone’s out there, they’ll hear this.” Veronica commented as they walked in, using their phones’ torches for light. Veronica headed straight for the rope section while JD looked around the packets of food at the front counter, he threw all the food and drinks he could see into a basket before heading back to Veronica. “Whats with the food?” She asked as he approached. They had to speak louder as the siren still wailed loudly. 

He shrugged, “never know when we’ll run out.” 

“I hadn't really thought about that honestly.” Veronica admitted. “Suppose we should stop stocking up on non-perishables.”

“Probably should get a bigger car. Doubt McNamara will want to sit on Kurt’s lap the entire time.” 

“Ram’s lap, but yeah.” 

“Couldn’t care less.” 

Veronica laughed at JD’s response and continued to wind up the long piece of rope she had cut off. Once it was easier to carry she walked to the next isle, JD on her heels, and picked up two pairs of working gloves. 

“While we’re hear.” JD said and shoved the basket of food into her hands. He turned around and took off, walking to the back of the store. Veronica followed at a slower pace, watching JD chose two of the sturdiest looking backpacks at the back of the store and then proceeding to fill them up with different tools. Hammers, saws, screwdrivers and knives were all thrown into one bag as well as different safety tools like gloves, goggles, hand warmers, ear plugs and dusk masks were all put into the second bag. “It seems weird,” JD, “put we might need stuff like this.” He pulled out the first aid kits and packed about five into the bag before fitting one into the first bag with the tools. 

“Makes sense.” Veronica nodded, she picked up a smaller bag and filled it with the food and drinks as well. They were in the store for about ten minutes but the Heathers complained like it had been hours. 

Veronica and JD ignored them as they packed the new bags into the trunk with the bags they had bought, their clothes and food mostly. Once the trunk was secured she looked at Ram, “want to sit on the roof of the car while Ram drives you around?”

“Fuck yeah.” 

She grinned at him, “great.” Insisting that the boys help her, they managed to thread the rope around the roof of the car, going in one window and out the other to make a loop that Ram could hold onto. Once that was secure she handed Ram and McNamara a pair of gloves, they climbed onto the roof and settled themselves under the rope. “Ready?” Veronica called out of the window of the back seat. She and the two remain Heathers sat at the back while Kurt and JD were in the front. 

“Fuck yeah!” Ram yelled back so Kurt started the car and they started driving.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Very short and basically just a filler chapter to get ready for the next few chapters :)


	6. “You’re optimistic today.”

It had been weeks. Weeks of driving around the north east states of America and they had found nothing. It was coming up on two months since they had woken up to find no one else awake in the world. After five days of being alone the electricity had stopped, their phones were still in the car but no longer charged or used. They had fallen into a pattern over the months, driving all day most days and finding a house or hotel to break into and stay at over night. Two people would go on top of the car while the drove and yell out for anyone. 

They hadn't found anyone. 

Veronica hadn't revealed what was in the letter that Martha left her so after a few days Heather Chandler had taken it without Veronica’s knowledge or permission. Martha had woken up to find everyone dead and apparently written the letter, but Veronica had found her dead in her bed. “I didn't want you to know that we’re not safe.” Veronica had explained after they had all freaked out. 

They had managed to push that to the back of their minds for the most part, focusing on staying alive was the main thing for them. Electricity had gone down which meant no lighting or heating, and as it was coming into winter this meant long, dark and cold nights that usually ended in people sharing beds and blankets. After one particular cold night, they had decided that heading south was the best course of action. They had just passed through North Carolina, and were now heading through Georgia. 

JD and Veronica sat on top of the car, heavy jackets on. The first time Veronica had done this she had freaked out, it was terrifying for her but JD had loved it, it was the same as his motorbike he had explained. “How are you?” JD asked after they had been silent for most of the morning. 

“I’m okay. You?” 

“I miss my life honestly and I never thought I’d see that.” 

She smiled at him, “yeah.” One positive that had occurred from the death of everyone was the blossoming romance between Veronica and JD. They spent the majority of their time together now as JD still didn't like the others and they didn't particular like him. Heather Chandler, as much as she didn't like JD, had been supportive of Veronica and their forming relationship. 

“Were do you think we’ll get today?” He asked. 

“Were are we?”

“We’re about to enter Gainesville.” 

Every morning before they started driving they would sit down with their map and plan a rough route for the day, they had been in Franklin, North Carolina, when they set out and had been driving for roughly an hour and a half down highway 23. They never had a destination in mind, just were they were going and what cities they would hit on their way to, well Kurt had just called their destination ‘south’, so on their way to south. 

“We might get to New Orleans.” Veronica said, thinking off their plans, “maybe just outside of the city?”

“You’re optimistic today.” JD commented. “What’s got you so happy?”

She shrugged, “I like being up here. It’s way better than being in there.” She pointed down to the car, they could hear them all yelling. The car slowed down before stopping randomly in the middle of the road and Kurt got out of the passenger door. 

“We were thinking of driving through Gainesville, we need some more gas and Heather wants to get some new clothes or something.” 

JD and Veronica nodded at him, “sounds good.” JD replied. Kurt gave them a thumbs up and got back in the car. 

“I guess we’re not getting as south as I thought.” Veronica sighed. “Heather plus shopping means hours wasted.” 

He smiled at her, “I guess were staying the night in Gainesville then?” 

She laughed, resting her head on his shoulder for comfort, “I would say so.”

~~

They didn't stay the night in the end, but they did spend most of the day there. While the girls had been shopping for new clothes for all of them, the boys had driven around town, seeing if they could find someone. Like always, they returned alone. 

It was almost four that night when they left the town. This was usually the time they would stop driving and find somewhere to stay the night, but JD had fallen asleep in the car while they were shopping and instead that he drives them for a few more hours while they slept in the car so they could get further south.

None of them wanted to be snowed in somewhere so they agreed. Going south was always the better option. Kurt had continued to drive with Veronica and JD on top, planning on letting JD drive once it was dark. 

“Do you ever miss your dad?” Veronica asked softly. They didn't talk about the life they left behind, it was like their unspoken rule. 

“I didn't for a while, then I did for bit but not anymore. I think I missed the normality, not my dad.” JD explained. “Do you miss your parents?” 

“I did, for a long time, but I’ve kind of forced myself to forget about them.” She sighed. “It just made me sad when I thought of them so I stopped.” 

“That’s some unhealthy copping mechanisms right there.” 

Veronica laughed softly, moving her hair that the wind had blown onto her face. “Unhealthy copping mechanisms?”

“One of the many therapists I was forced to go gave me that one.” 

“Why’d you have to go to therapy?”

“I was always the new kid that sat in silence in all my classes, never talked to anyone else and had a devil-may-care attitude. Teachers would always recommend me to the school’s therapist if they had one.” He explained, “I hated it. They would say the same thing every time. No matter the state I was in, it was always the same. ‘You need to make friends JD’ ‘school is important JD’ ‘this is your future here JD’.” He spoke in a high pitched voice causing Veronica to giggle along. 

“That sounds terrible.” 

“Oh it was, and my dad would never tell the school to leave me alone.” 

“Moving so much must have been hard.”

He just shrugged in response before changing the subject. “What did you and the Heathers find toady?” 

“A few new outfits for each person and a new bag for everyone. We got warmer clothes, our short sleeves and mini skirts aren’t doing much to keep us warm.”

“I don’t know, I like the mini skirts. Especially the blue ones.” He winked over at her, a light blush formed on her cheeks. “Speaking off, why blue? But more importantly, why still blue?”

“Originally, I don’t know. I became friends with them and they took me shopping. They’re all pretty rich so they bought me an entire new outfit. Blue was the main colour, my colour. I ended up giving all the non-approved clothing to charity.” She explained. “And now? It’s like a safety blanket for me. I’ve been wearing blue for so long that I don’t want to get rid of it. It’s normal.”

“Fair enough.” 

The sun was beginning to set to the side of them, the sky had erupted into different shades of blue, spanning from dark navy on one side of the sky to a light turquoise on the other. Hints of orange and pink peaked through the on the side of the sun and reflected of the clouds. The first star had appeared, Veronica and JD both looked towards it. “Star light, star bright, the first star I see tonight, I wish I may, I wish I might, have the wish I wish tonight.” JD sang softly. 

“I’ve never heard that.” Her voice was like a whisper, as if she didn't want to disturb the peaceful atmosphere surrounding them. 

“My mom used to sing it to me. You wish on the first star you see.” 

JD and Veronica both closed their eyes and wished on the star, knowing that it wouldn’t come true and this was just some stupid lie to tell a child but still hoping it would happen. That their wish would become reality. 

“If there are no more people out there, what next?” Veronica asked after a period of quiet. 

“What do you mean?”

“What do we do?”

“Try and stay alive I guess, start a farm or something.” JD replied, looking away from Veronica, thinking about what the future held, it scared him. The idea of being alone for ever, never having anyone else. He didn't want Veronica to see that, see the fear in his eyes. “Keep looking for people I suppose, we’ve got a lot of years ahead of us to…” He trailed off.

“To what?” 

Regaining is composure he turned to look at her, a smirk on his face, “repopulate the earth.” 

She gasped and hit him lightly on the shoulder. “I guess you’re with a Heather? I’ll take Kurt or Ram.” She paused, shuddering slightly, “for the good of the planet.” 

“You’d be with one of them over me?” He asked feigning hurt.

“No, I would rather die.” She smiled softly at him, “I guess you just found you’re life partner.” 

He smiled back, “that doesn’t sound to bad.” Then he lent down and kissed her.

~~

Veronica lips were still tingling. 

He had kissed her.

It had only lasted a few moments, he had broken it and lent back, cupping her face in his hands before pressing a kiss to her forehead.

Only a few moments later the car stopped and they were called in. JD had gotten in the drivers seat with Veronica sitting right beside him, if she moved any closer she would be on his lap. Duke and McNamara were also in the front while Kurt, Ram and Chandler where in the back. 

It had been a peaceful quiet in the car for the last half an hour, they had picked up many CD’s along the way and were working through them as they drove. “I don’t think we should stop tonight.” Duke said suddenly.

“What do you mean?” Chandler replied, a frown on her face as she looked at her friend. “Why wouldn’t we stop?” They could hear the patronising tone Chandler spoke with. 

“It’s snowing.” She responded, pointing out the front window. What they had assumed was rain was in fact snow. Kurt rolled down his window and stuck his hand out, brining it back in quickly. 

“It’s snow.” He confirmed. 

“I guess the faster we head south the better.” Veronica said. 

The car made a sound like it was growling and then stopped. “Fuck.” JD grunted, trying to get the car to start again. He couldn’t so he opened his door to see if he could figure out what was happening but the snow started falling faster and harder, within seconds they couldn’t see anything outside their windows. Just a blur of fast moving white. “Fuck!” JD said again.

“What do we do?” McNamara asked softly.

“I guess we wait in the car until the snow stops. See if we can fix the car afterwards.” Veronica suggested, her suggestion was meet with apprehension but no one had a better idea. 

Luckily the car they were in was one were they could reach the truck with out having to get out so Chandler climbed over the seats, accidentally giving Ram a look up her skirt, and got into the trunk where they kept all their belongings. She was moving bags around without talking to anyone before looking over the seats and looking at the other Heathers. “Come on. We’re back here.” They climbed over both sets of seats to get to Chandler. 

The car was starting to get colder as they continued to move bags around. Finally they were finished and sat on their knees, leaning on the back seats. “We managed to get some blankets and shit.” Chandler explained. “And dinner.” They passed forward coats and blankets for everyone to use, every moment it got colder in the car so they were all happy to put on the warmer clothes. They then passed forward the food, it was their food that didn't need to be cooked, dried fruit and beef jerky. 

Soon after they had finished eating they organised themselves for sleeping. The Heathers all used the softer bags as pillows and lay in the back, although their legs were pulled up and bent since they didn't fit lying down fully. Kurt and Ram rested against the doors on the side, using more bags as pillows, and stretched their legs out on the side of each other. 

JD put his seat as far back as he could and lay down, although he was basically sitting up, and lent his head on his shoulder. Veronica started out like JD, sitting up, but after about ten minutes of that, JD reached out and pulled her down so that she was resting her head on his lap. They arranged their shared blankets around them as best they could so that they would stay as warm as possible. Under the blanket, JD held Veronica’s hand in his. 

They were all able to fall asleep quickly, each with fear on their minds. Fear for the future, they were always scared when they went to sleep, they wouldn't wake up. Still, they all went to sleep hoping and praying that they would wake up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back! It's been a while. I've finished school and I have red and orange hair now. 
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this and I will hopefully be able to start publishing faster again!


	7. It was the most intense game of snap Veronica had ever played.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before you read:  
> I'd just like to point out that this is an AU and so I have made Kurt and Ram a lot more likable. I know that they are crap people in the movie, I don't like them there and I never felt bad for them when they died, but in this story, they're just preppy jock asses. No r*pe attempts or extreme bullying like in the movie. 
> 
> Now, enjoy!

“RAM! YOU FUCKER WAKE UP!” Kurt screamed, waking up the rest of the teens. “RAM!” 

Veronica sat up from resting on JD and both of them turned to see what was happening. The three Heathers were all ready up on their knees and looking at scene in front of them. McNamara had tears gathered in her eyes. 

“Ram!” Kurt started to sob, he had his hands gripping onto Ram’s collar and was shaking his friend up and down. “Wake up dude!” 

Heather McNamara and Kurt were full blown crying when Kurt stopped shaking his best friend, although when he let go of his collar he cupped Ram’s face and hung his head. Tears were streaming down his face, “why isn't he waking up?” His voice was small, a broken whisper spoken to no one. He didn't care if the others saw him like this, why would he? His best friend and the only person he loved still alive had just died. 

The other Heathers and Veronica also had tears forming in their eyes as they watched Kurt’s meltdown in the small car. 

“Ram.” He sobbed again before pulling him into his chest and holding him tightly. He rocked them slightly, sobbing into Ram’s hair and whispering desperate pleas for him to wake up. “Ram, please.” His breathing was harsh and broken, desperate lung fills before sobbing and whispering. His eyes were screwed closed, his entire face had gone a shade of light red as he muttered silently.

“Stay with me, man, stay with me.” He sobbed. “Who’s going to play foot ball with me now, dude? I need you here with me, you can’t bail on me now.” He sobbed again, “dude, come on. Wake up.” He sobbed twice and breathed in harshly, “You need to wake up so you can laugh at me for being such a pussy and crying. Ram, wake up and have a go at me.” 

Heather Chandler pulled the sobbing McNamara into a side hug while Duke clutched her hand. JD started rubbing small patterns on Veronica’s back as her eyes whipped between Kurt and Ram to the Heathers. 

“Please, Ram, wake up.” Kurt muttered loud enough to hear before looking up and out his window, still clutching Ram’s body in his arms. “We need to bury him.” 

“Yeah, we can do that now.” Veronica said softly, wiping her eyes. Sure, she didn't particular like Ram but she had never wanted him to die, and seeing Kurt like this wasn’t helping her emotions. 

JD went to open his door, to help Kurt get Ram out of the car, but couldn't open the door more than an inch. “What the fuck?” He muttered, pushing against the door harder. Veronica looked over at him, raising an eyebrow in confusion. “Try opening your door.” He instructed quietly. She moved to push the door open but it wouldn’t budge. 

“What?” She said in confusion, this caught the attention from the others. “Our doors aren’t opening.” 

Kurt moved Ram slightly so he could try to open his but like the front, the door wasn't opening. 

Veronica got on her knees and peered over the side of the window and quickly saw the problem. Snow covered the car up until just under the windows, and it was packed in so tightly that it wasn't moving when they tried to move the doors. “We’re snowed in!” She said in a panic, trying to push her door open again. 

“What?” Heather Duke asked, panic lacing her voice. 

Kurt had gone back to rocking Ram and muttering to himself, ignoring the ensuing mass panic around him as they all realised they were stuck in a car, with a corpse. 

Veronica and JD stopped trying to open the doors after a few minutes, knowing it was a waste of time. Veronica spoke. “What are we going to do?”

“What for the snow to melt so we can open the door?” JD suggested. “That’s all I can think of.” 

“One of us could climb through the window?” McNamara suggested, her eyes were red but she had been able to pull herself together enough to speak to the others, unlike Kurt who was still ignoring everyone else. 

“We can't roll the window down.” Veronica replied. “The car wont start.”

Chandler laughed without humour, “if only we where in the 80’s and had those roll up windows again.” 

“May as well make some food.” JD said. “Have some breakfast while we wait for the snow to melt.” 

The Heathers nodded and busied themselves making food, usually they would have argued with JD just to be annoying but no one was in their right state of mind. While they were working both JD and Veronica ended up taking off their large coats, the car starting to heat up with them all awake in it. 

“JD, Veronica?” Heather McNamara asked randomly, looking up at them with a terrified expression on her face. “I watched Bones once, and it had a killer who locked their victims in a small space, they always ended up suffocating becuase there’s no oxygen. Will that happen to us?” 

Veronica looked to JD, a frown on her face as well. The other Heathers had stopped to listen as well as Kurt, who was looking up from Ram. “I don’t think so.” Veronica finally said, still looking at JD. “At least, it would take a really long time. Cars aren’t air tight.” 

“There’s a lot of us in here though.” JD muttered, although everyone could hear him. “So it would go quicker.” 

“How long will it be till the snow clears?” Veronica replied with a question. 

“No idea, I guess it depends on how fast the sun comes out.” JD responded and they both looked out the window, it seemed like fate hated them that day since the sky was cloudy, it didn't seem like the snow was going to be going anywhere fast. 

“Maybe we should just eat some food and then see what’s happening.” Veronica suggested. “If the sun doesn’t come out we might have to break the window or something.”

JD closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose but nodded in agreement. “How’s breakfast coming?” He called back to the Heathers.

“Soon, you inpatient fucker.” Chandler scowled at him. 

JD scoffed. “There’s the Heather we all know and despise.” 

“Please, everyone in this car, bar you, likes me. I’m not some tag along cause one of us likes the way you look.” 

Before JD could respond, Veronica placed her hand on his arm with a small shake of her head to silence him. “Not now.” She whispered. 

A few minutes later and McNamara was passing out their breakfast, peanut butter and crackers with a side of dried apricot and a bottle of water. “Fruit twice in two meals, we’re getting fancy.” JD whispered to Veronica as they rearranged themselves so they were sitting like they were driving and had their food on the dashboard. 

“A little pick-me-up right now isn’t a bad idea.” Veronica shrugged looking back at the others. Kurt had lay Ram on the floor beside him with a blanket covering him and had placed his own legs along the back seats, leaning against the door chewing on the fruit absentmindedly. The Heathers had also rearranged the trunk of the car so they could sit facing away from the others, their backs resting on the back seats, they were having their own private conversation as well. 

She turned back to look out the front window, it had started snowing again, only lightly but it was still able to make her and JD frown when they saw it. They did need to get out of the car, or at least open a window. Ever since McNamara had suggested it both Veronica and JD felt like there was less air around them every minute. Neither knew if it was actually getting harder to breath or if their minds were playing tricks on them. 

“What Heather said,” JD started quietly, “before, about me only being here ‘cause you find me attractive. Is that true?” 

“I mean, partly.” Veronica admitted. “I do think you’re attractive but it was also, I don’t know, like, I wanted all the people who were alive to be with me. The idea that it was just the six of us was so frighting.”

“And seven is so much better.” JD teased. 

Veronica sent him a playful scowl, “in all honesty, yes. When I saw you, I knew that it wasn’t just us still awake. The popular students of Westerburg, I mean.”

“Makes sense.”

“Not really.”

“But, you do think I’m attractive?” He smirked at her. 

She rolled her eyes, “fuck off.”

“It’s a yes or no question, darling.” 

“Well, then, yes.”

“Thought so. I must say, I find you rather attractive as well.”

Veronica groaned, closing her eyes and putting her head against the dashboard. JD looked down at her with humour on his face, “what?”

“I can’t believe we’re having this romantic moment while stuck in a snowed in car with a dead body in the back seat.”

~~

For the first hour of being trapped it was okay. Heather McNamara had passed Veronica a deck of cards and her and JD had spent a while playing different games on the dashboard. They had played 10 rounds so far, and were tied for 5 wins each and were currently playing the tie breaker; SNAP. It was the most intense game of snap Veronica had ever played. 

It had been a slow game, in compassion to most snap games, since they both wanted to win so badly they had been careful. In the end however, JD won so he won the overall game which meant he got his prize, a kiss from Veronica. 

She was about to kiss him, not wanting to be a sore loser but also wanting to kiss him again, when Duke groaned from the trunk. The noise broke JD and Veronica out from their trance and when they turned to look back they noticed why she had groaned, it was snowing again. As heavily as last night. Another snow storm.

“Fuck!” JD cursed as they looked out their windows. Already the snow was settling on the already snow covered ground, making it longer that they would be stuck in the car. 

“I hate to put a damper on the mood.” Chandler said, her tone angry, “but it’s getting harder to breath.” 

“It is.” Veronica agreed, “and it’s only going to get harder.”

Duke hummed, “that’s great.”

“What are we going to do?” Kurt asked, it was the first time he had spoken since he had covered Ram and retreated into his own mind over an hour ago. “We can’t just sit here and wait to die.”

“The only thing I can think off is to break a window, but that would make it very cold in here.” . Veronica said. 

JD thought for a moment, “we’d have to break a window as far away as possible, and then wear warmer clothing again. Also we’d want the least amount of snow in the car as possible.” 

“The trunk?” Veronica asked. “We’d have to move the Heathers up here and Ram back there.”

“Makes the most sense.” JD agreed. He then turned around to talk to everyone else. “We need warm clothing, and a lot of it since it’s about to get real cold. You three need to move away from the trunk and we’ll need to put Ram in there.”

The Heathers nodded and started pulling out all the jackets, sweaters and blankets the could. When they had finished they pushed them to the front of the car beside Veronica and JD while Kurt picked Ram up and gently lowered him into the trunk, he then climbed in beside him while the Heathers went to the middle of the car. 

“Are you staying back there?” McNamara asked when Kurt didn't move from the trunk after he had laid out Ram. He just nodded. Veronica pulled out a sweater, a coat and a blanket from the pile and gave them to the Heathers who gave it to him. 

The Heathers had decided to share their three blankets while JD and Veronica only had one so they were forced to share, something neither minded all that much. “Kurt, can you break the window?” JD asked once everyone had put on more layers of clothing and blankets. 

He nodded again and rummaged through a bag, brining out a hammer that JD had stolen from a hardware store months ago. He moved so that he was knelling in front of the back window, raising the hammer he smashed it down multiple times along the top of the window. After some more smashing he had successfully created an opening that spun the length of the window and was about half as deep. 

Instantly snow started coming through a long with the cold wind but the fresh air was exactly what they needed in the car. When they all breathed it in, no one cared about the coldness of the car anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you expect that?


	8. We Can't Catch a Fucking Break

It hadn’t stopped snowing. Three days later and they were still not able to get to of the car. Freezing cold constantly and the presence of Ram made for a very uncomfortable time. Veronica and JD were still stuck up the very front of the car, usually cuddled together for warmth and because they wanted to, the Heathers still sat silently in the middle of the car, Veronica hadn’t heard them talk for over a day now and Kurt was still in the trunk with the body of Ram. 

It was early morning, Veronica and JD were still asleep, curled up together and a blanket wrapped around them both. The Heathers were all awake and no one could tell if Kurt was asleep or awake the majority of the time now, since he hardly ever moved. 

“We need a break.” Heather Chandler growled out suddenly. “We need to get out of this god damn car.” 

“How?” McNamara asked, her voice horse from not using it but still you could hear the un-characteristic anger for her friend. 

“I don’t fucking know, Heather! We just need to get out.” 

Duke looked around the car, “what about if someone climbs out of the car and tries to clear the snow?” 

“Are you volunteering?” Chandler asked. 

“No, I’m doing.” She replied and began to climb over the seats into the trunk, Kurt didn’t even look up as she climbed over him and to the back of the car where snow had been piling up from the broken window. The hammer lay discarded on the floor, slightly covered in snow. Duke picked it up and, making sure her coat was done up first, raised it in the air and started smashing the window. 

It was loud, loud enough to wake Veronica and JD. They both jumped up and looked behind their seats, still slightly asleep and very confused. “What are you doing?” Veronica asked loudly as Duke continued to smash the window. 

“I. Am. Getting. Out.” She said, hitting the window in between each word. 

“So you’re just going to break the car?” JD’s voice was higher than normal in surprise and he gestured to the car with his arms. 

Chandler shrugged, “it’s not doing anything for us.”

“It’s our car!” Veronica argued. “We need it.”

“It’s broken, Veronica, what are we going to do with it?” Chandler rebutted. 

Veronica was at a lose for words, Duke continued to smash out the back window while the others just sat in silence. It took her some time to finish, the window was completely gone save for some small pieces of glass around the edges. Duke worked quickly, grabbing one of Kurt’s blankets and covering the bottom edge with it. “Let’s go.” 

She climbed out first, followed by Kurt and then Chandler and McNamara. Veronica and JD then followed, bringing all the blankets and coats from the seats in the car. Once they were in the trunk they started passing all their bags out to the others, vital supplies such as food, drinks and warm clothing. 

“We can’t leave Ram.” McNamara said as JD went to climb out. He sighed to himself but nodded and motioned for Kurt to come closer. Veronica helping, the two of them were able to lift Ram through the window into Kurt and McNamara’s waiting arms. JD then got out and helped Veronica out, supporting her arm as she climbed out. 

They looked like shit. Like a group of people that if you were to pass them you would speed up to get away. None of them had a decent sleep in days, they had been living on beef jerky and dried fruit for the past weeks and were wearing clothes that didn’t fit as well as carrying a dead body. 

“We can’t catch a fucking break.” JD muttered as they all stood there, thigh deep in snow, looking through the snow and trying to find a place to hold up in. 

In the end they decided to just walk down the road they were on, as quickly as possible seeing as they were already shivering, and they were to try and find a house or shed or something they could use as a temporary house. 

“Why is snowing so much?” Veronica asked JD as they walked in front of everyone else. 

“Especially this far south.” JD muttered. “Maybe it has to do with everyone dying? Or maybe the universe just really hates us and decided to give us the worse winter ever?”

“Probably.” Veronica agreed bitterly. 

Finally, after weeks, the group caught a break. Just up ahead was a small cabin style house off the road they were on. Their spirits lifted as they hurried along the snowy path to the building. 

It was locked so JD got Veronica to stand back and kicked the door, once, twice, three times before it cracked and he was able to push it open. She’d never admit it but Veronica found the show extremely attractive and wouldn’t have minded if he had to kick down another door. 

Inside was just as cold as outside, due to one of the windows being open on the far side of the small living room, luckily there wasn’t to much snow in the house. It wasn’t big, the entire bottom floor was one room with a set of spiral stairs in the far left corner, opposite the front door. There was a kitchen and dinning room table with four chairs behind a living room area with a sofa and a fire place. Everyone eyed the fire place with high hopes, wanting to be warm again. 

McNamara went and closed the window as soon as they entered, while JD closed to door as best as he could. In the end he had to move one of the chairs under the door handle so it wouldn’t swing open. They placed all the bags on the floor and Ram on the sofa before heading upstairs. 

No one was talking as they investigated the house. 

Upstairs was a similar lay out, at the top of the stairs was a hallway that had four doors. One led to a standard bathroom, shower, sink and toilet. The second door was a bedroom, a double bed with two night stands and a closet filled with mens clothing. The third door opened onto another bedroom, this one had a set of bunk beds with a double bed on the bottom and a single on top as well as two chest of drawers filled with children’s clothing, mainly girls. The forth door led to a storage room, two closets and some floating shelves were stocked with stuff, they made plans to go through it all later. 

“I’m going to see if I can find any dry wood.” JD declared suddenly, they were all downstairs again and were unpacking all their food into the kitchen and hanging out clothing that had gotten wet from the snow. 

It wan’t very much later when he arrived back in the house, an arm full of wood and a slight smirk on his face. “I found a stack of dry wood but I think we should bring it inside so it doesn’t get wet.” 

They all agreed and followed him out, Veronica, the Heathers and Kurt, the stack wasn’t very far away from the house but it wasn’t very big either. It wouldn’t last them more than two weeks. They all got as much as they could carry and walked back to the house. 

“We’ll have to go looking for more if we want it to last.” Veronica commented. Duke had just finished putting the last of it on the blanket beside the fire place. 

“And use it sparingly.” JD agreed. “Should I light it now? Get the house warm?” 

“Yeah. Maybe we should search the house for anything else we can burn.” Veronica said and then that’s what her and Duke did, they looked through all of the upstairs while the other Heathers continued to count the food and JD lit the fire. 

“So, you and JD?” Duke said randomly as Veronica was going through the main bedrooms closet. 

She didn’t stopping looked as she replied, “what do you mean?”

“You’ve obviously got heart eyes for the creep.”

“Why do you insist on being rude about him? He’s done nothing but help us and be kind since we found him.” Veronica argued. 

Duke shrugged and picked up the few notebooks they had found, “why him?”

“I don’t exactly have a long list of potential suitors any more, Heather.” 

“You liked him the moment you saw him at school, long before all this shit. Tell me, if we weren’t here if all this hadn’t of happened, would you still want him?”

They walked out of that room and into the children’s room as Veronica answered, “yes. I would.”

“So, why him?” 

“I don’t know. I didn’t decide.” 

“You kind of did.”

She sighed, “is it cheesy if I say that I saw him and I knew?”

“Very. Hold these.” She passed Veronica the notebooks from the mans room and started going through the chest of drawers on the left while Veronica took the right. “But, I don’t know much about love-“

“-Could of fooled me.” Veronica muttered.

“-So I can’t say anything.” Duke continued, ignoring Veronica. “Do you love him?”

“I don’t know.”

Duke scoffed, “yes you do. We all know the answer.”

“Then why ask?”

“I want to know your answer.”

Veronica sighed. She started thinking over the question, her heart felt warm inside when she thought of her and JD being together. The late nights they had over the weeks and the hours upon hours of holding each other. A smile graced her face as she though of him. 

“An idiot would be able to see you’re in love.” Duke commented. “Especially with how you look now.” 

“Yeah,” Veronica said, her smile growing wider. “I guess I do love him”

 

~~

JD had been able to light the fire place and was now moving the snow from the house outside using a pot from the kitchen. It was quite the sight for Duke and Veronica when they walked down the stairs, arms full with paper and books they had found. Both of the girls had hated the idea of burning books but had agreed that it was better that then freeze to death. 

They placed the finding by the wood and just stood by the fire for a moment, warming up their hands. It had been days since anyone of them had felt warm. Veronica never thought she would be happy with simply being warm but she also never thought everyone else on the planet would suddenly die. 

Kurt was outside, there was a green house that he was in, digging a hole for his best friend to lie in. JD had offered his help but Kurt had said that he needed to be alone. Apparently the green house had no snow and the ground wasn’t that hard. 

Ram was still on the sofa, but now he was wrapped in one of the sheets McNamara had found in the storage room. Another sheet lay beside him for lying him on when he went in the ground. Again no one was talking as they busied themselves. Veronica started helping JD move the snow out of the house and Duke found a broom and had started to sweep out the leaves and twigs that littered the floor. Soon after, Chandler joined her and McNamara started wiping down the table tops and window seals. 

Once it was all done they felt a little lighter, having a tidy space to be in. It was nearly midday when McNamara started to cook some food, the cabin ran on gas so JD was able to create a flame with his lighter and ignite the gas. They had some cans of soup, from weeks ago, that they had never been able to cook so she got to work heating those up. Everyone looked forward to some hot food. 

Kurt came in just as Heather was serving the soup, some people had bowls while others had mugs, he sat quietly on one of the chairs and sipped on the chicken soup. 

“This is really good, Heather.” Veronica complimented, “thanks.”

“It’s fine.” Heather smiled back. 

“I’m just glad we can have hot food.” JD commented. 

Heather McNamara and Chandler shared an un-easy look. “What?” Duke asked. 

“Uh- It’s just that we’re running out of food.” McNamara said. “And fast.”

“What do you mean?” Veronica asked, her eyes wide with worry.

Chandler answered her, “after this meal we have enough for a day, two at the most.” 

“We have two days worth of food.” JD repeated. “That’s the opposite of what we need.”

“I know that, asshole.” Chandler snapped. “But I can’t make more food.” 

“We’re going to have to go and look for more.” Veronica said, pinching the top of her nose in frustration and leaning forward in her seat. “And soon.” 

Chandler scoffed, “where? There’s nothing around here and it’s snowing like crazy.”

“Shall we just fucking starve then?” JD snapped back at her, not liking how she was talking to Veronica. 

“I don’t know!” Chandler shouted starting to sob. Tears were soon streaming out of her eyes as everyone sat in shook. Heather Chandler never cried. “I don’t know! This isn’t something I planned for in my life.” 

Veronica sat back, tears forming in her eyes. McNamara had started crying as well, Duke was nearly there. “This is all to much.” Chandler sobbed. “I just want to go home and see my parents and live my life like I used to.” 

There wasn’t a dry eye in the group as they all listened to Chandler confess.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What's this? Me updating this book? Crazy, I know.
> 
> Anyway, only 2 more chapters to go (*gasp*) and then we're done! I have it all planned out in my little diary and I'm excited to write it. We should be done before 2018!


	9. Heather sent a silent prayer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a note, there is a description of a sick character in this chapter. It's nothing bad! Just so you know.

“Will you stop pacing?” Heather Chandler snapped at JD. 

“They should be back by now.” JD snapped back.

“They’ll be back when they’re back and you pacing isn’t doing anything except injuring yourself further.” 

Sighing loudly JD sat down on a chair, rested his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. Veronica, Heather Duke and Kurt had gone out early that morning to see if they could find another house and to try and find food since the group ran out last night. They thought they had enough but when Chandler ate some of the stew they had and realised halfway through that it had gone bad they figured they didn’t have enough to last another day. She got sick, food poisoning, and was currently lying on the sofa with McNamara sitting on the floor beside her head. Veronica and JD quickly decided to go out and fine more. 

JD had wanted to go with them but the day before he had fallen off the roof when he was trying to fix a small hole. He had slid down and landed safely but injured his ankle and ribs in the process. Veronica had foreboded him from going with them when she saw the nasty black bruises that covered his left side. 

It had been about seven thirty when they left, just as the sun rose over the horizon, and it was already nine forty at night. It had gone dark hours ago and there was no sign of them. They had supposed to be hime by eight. It hadn’t been snowing when the left, thankfully, but it started at midday and hadn’t stopped since, a new layer of snow covered the ground. 

Tapping his foot to stop himself from pacing again, JD stared out the window. “Where are you?” He muttered to himself. 

“You really care for her.” McNamara said suddenly. 

JD looked over at her, “what do you mean?”

“Veronica.”

He didn’t answer straight away, thinking over what she had said. It was true, he really did care for her, ever since he saw her in the cafeteria at school all those months ago. 

“Yeah. I do.”

“I’m glad you finally figured that out.” Chandler scoffed. 

McNamara smiled, “she likes you too.”

JD, always a man to give in to self-doubt, said “I doubt it.” He always saw himself as a freak, something that people got rid off as quickly as he arrived yet Veronica was… well, perfect.

“We’ve known Veronica for a long time.” Chandler said, “we’ve only been friends for a short time but I can tell you that she is head over heels for you.” The touching words were ruined when she groaned and reached for the bowl beside her, throwing up into it loudly. 

“Were’s Duke when you need her?” McNamara complained as she helped her friend. 

Needing to get away from the sick girl JD walked over to the window to stare helplessly out. The snow was still coming down, although not as heavily as it had been, and the sun had completely gone leaving the sky dark. He waited for any sign of moment, after nearly ten minutes McNamara appeared beside him. “She’s getting worse.” 

“Really?” 

Nodding sadly, she replied, “her temperature is rising and she is vomiting more.”

“What are we going do?” JD sighed to himself as the snow stared to fall faster. 

~~

They had been walking for hours, at least it felt that way. Houses were spread out randomly across the snow covered road. The sun was setting and the snow was starting to slow down which made it easier for them to walk. They were walking back along the road now, trying to get back to the house they were staying at. 

The trees were covered in snow, a white haze had settled over the entire country side. Heather pulled her coat tighter, the wind took hold of it and flicked it about her making it crack like a silken sail. It took strands of her hair too and made them into lashes that beat her face and blew above her head.

Each of them carried a back pack and Kurt also had a duffle bag slung across his shoulder. They had caught a break and each house they had gotten to, six, had cans and packets of food that was still useable as well as some un-expired medicine they had taken and some other essentials, toilet paper and tools. Veronica had even found a wind up phone charger in one of the houses and a battery powered speaker, she had stuffed both in her bag. 

Heather sighed, “how much longer do you think we have to go?” 

“Not long.” Veronica said, “I think that was the second house we went into.” 

Falling back into silence they continued walking along the road. It was getting harder and harder to see as the sun continued to set lower in the west and the snow continued to get harder. 

Cold licked at Veronica's face and crept under her clothes, spreading across her skin like the lacy tide on a frigid winter beach. With purple lips tinged with blue and gently chattering teeth she wrapped her coat around her tighter. 

Kurt hadn’t talked the entire time, no one wanted to talk about his mental state at the moment but everyone knew that it was bad. After he had buried Ram, against Veronica and JD’s opinions (they both thought there was a possibly he could suddenly wake up. Kurt had ignored them completely.) he stopped talking. He just sat in the corner on the floor and stared at nothing. McNamara had tried to break him out of it but he just ignored his girlfriend and continued staring at nothing all the time and not moving. 

No one knew what to do with him, McNamara had thought burying his friend, getting closure, would be good but it hadn’t seemed to help. So when JD had gotten injured and couldn’t go out, no matter what he said, Veronica had quickly decided to bring Kurt. Hopping that walking outside would be good for him since he had been stuck inside since Ram had died. 

The biting cold chilled Kurt’s fingers into clumsy numbness as he tried to hold the bag on his shoulder, cold seeped into his toes and spread painfully throughout his feet as if it were his bare feet on the pristine icy whiteness rather than his boots. His lips turned a more blueish hue and his teeth chattered like a pneumatic drill. He began to loose his sense of time, had he been out there for minutes or hours? The frigid wind poked him like icy fingers and wrapped around him like a shawl woven from the snow itself. 

The cold was not helping him, not distracting him, from the horrors that were swirling around in his mind.

“What time is it?” Heather asked after some time, they had to talk older than normal because of the bitter wind that swept across them. The sun had completely disappeared and it was snowing heaver making it almost impossible to see. 

Veronica, who had a watch, answered her, “almost nine.” 

“JD will be worried.” 

The three of them looked around, searching for their house. Their fingers were starting to turn purple under the thick gloves they wore and they couldn’t fell their toes anymore even though they wore woolly snow socks and snow boots. They couldn’t see any sign of their car or their house. 

As they walked past a random shed in the middle of one of the sections of farm land off the road Heather growled out, “fuck this.” And changed course, heading to the shed. The shed was small, no bigger than Veronica’s bedroom from her old house, and looked old and unkept but still the celling seemed to be altogether and there were no visible holes. 

“Heather! What are you doing?” Veronica shouted after her. 

“We’re going to get hypothermia or some shit.” Duke replied, now at the shed, “we need shelter for the night.” 

“We need to get back to JD!”

Heather opened the door to the shed and Kurt rushed in. “It’s getting colder and the snow is getting heavier. We need to get out of it.” 

Veronica whipped her head between Heather and the way to the house, debating in her mind if she should get back to JD or not. In the end she decided Heather and hurried over to her. Together they pulled the door closed against the raging winds. 

The inside wasn’t bad but it wasn’t luxury. It was small, it would only take three strides to get from one side to the other, the back wall had wooden shelves that held a few cans and sacks of grain which Kurt had started pulling off the shelves and setting on the ground for makeshift seats. It was cold inside as well, although the absence of snow and wind made it a lot more bearable. There was dust everywhere, and mold was forming on one of the walls, the ground was covered in dirt and bits of straw. The window on the left wall was cracked but not broken and it was covered in dirt and grim but there were no holes in the celling or in the walls and the door shut properly which made for a warmer room. 

Once Kurt had finished moving the sacks he smashed some of the shelves, ignoring Veronica and Heather shouting at him, and moved them into a pile on the ground as well. He then got one of the cans and opened it using the small pocket knife that Ram had found for him in one of the hardware stores. It was bright pink and had a flower running up one side, Kurt hadn’t used it before. Once the can was open he poured some of the liquid over the wood, it was diesel. He then lit the wood using his lighter and stepped back, letting the fire form. 

It wasn’t Veronica’s first choice but it would do. Heather opened one of their bags and handed them all some dried fruit which they all ate silently, sitting on bags of grain, in front of the small but amazingly warm fire. 

~~

JD had hardly slept. With Heather Chandler constantly vomiting or groaning and the ever increasing worry for his girlfriend who was out there somewhere. The sun had barely risen and JD was pulling on his boots and coat, ready to go and find her. 

“You can’t.” Heather McNamara said again. “She’ll be back.”

“And what happens if she isn’t? I need to go and look for her. I’ll be back by midday.”

McNamara looked upset but didn’t say anything else, instead she turned away from JD and tended to her very sick friend once more. JD said goodbye, promised to return, and left their cabin. 

The wind was harsh against his exposed skin, it felt like he was being cut with every breeze. He turned right, they had all promised to stay on the right side of the house incase they did get lost and needed help. 

Walking through the snow was a nightmare, it was up to JD’s knees. It had stopped snowing early in the morning but the morning snow hadn’t melted any of it away so JD continued to struggle through, looking around the land as he went trying to find any sign of life. 

He passed their car, still snowed in with the back window broken and continued on. It was freezing cold still, the wind whipped at him and lashed across his face. Almost instantly his cheeks and nose were red and his fingers were already seizing in the gloves. Still, he pressed onwards continuing to look everywhere for Veronica through the freezing cold landscape that didn’t change no matter how far you looked or how long you looked. 

~~

Heather pressed the cold towel onto Heather’s head. Her fever was rising every minute and Heather McNamara was doing everything she could to keep it down. She and JD had gotten towels and flannels, got them wet and then placed them in the snow so they froze. They would then get one and place it on Heather Chandler’s head to keep her cool. 

“You look worried.” Chandler muttered weakly. 

McNamara smiled at her softly, tears gathering in her eyes. “I am.”

“No need.” 

The towel was already warm and no longer useful so McNamara jumped up and got a new one after wetting the old one and placing it outside as well. 

She placed the towel on Heather’s head and then spoke, “you’re very sick.”

“I’ll be okay.”

“You’ve got to be.” McNamara replied, tears now falling down her face, “we’ve got to see when JD and Veronica get together and who wins the bet.”

Chandler laughed weakly before it turned into loud and lengthy coughs, McNamara passed Heather a tissue and when she got it back blood was splatted over it. Both girls looked at the glaring red stains on the white paper in shook. “It’ll be okay.” Chandler muttered to her friend. “You’ll see.” 

Resting her head back against the pillow behind her Chandler closed her eyes and sighed lowly. 

McNamara stood and disposed of the tissue, crying silently as she did. 

They had no food left, the only thing McNamara could offer was water, which was just snow melted in a pot. So she went about melting snow and filling the water bottles with it. She continued doing this all morning, while also switching out cold towels on Heather’s head, cleaning vomit from her chin, rinsing the bowl out and handing her tissues. They always came back bloody now.

~~

“We should get going.” Heather said after Kurt had placed a sack of grain in his bag and tins of diesel in Veronica’s. 

Veronica looked out the window again, the sun had just fully risen, “it’s still not snowing, if we leave now we won’t have to deal with it at first.”

Everyone grabbed their bags and wore them over their coats before pushing open the door. The blast of air that hit them instantly was bitterly cold and stronger than the night before. Still, they stepped out of the warmth that was the cabin and started their walk back home. 

They, apparently, had gone far the day before since they walked for at least half an hour with no sign of their house. The houses they walked past were houses they had already gone into and searched. They were so spread out, the houses, that you could walk for ten minutes without seeing another house. 

Veronica was inside her own head, ignoring everything else as she walked. Her mind was racing, all the problems they were facing swirled around her head and attacked her like hell-hounds. Food, warmth, the car, Heather Chandler her illness, the unusually bad weather and JD. Food would have to be found, they’d have to walk further or they would have to move again. The car was gone and Chandler would be fine, after all, she had only been a little feverish when Veronica had left. JD was something differently completely. 

She loved him. She was sure of that now. One night spent away from him had sent her into a panic, she missed him already. At the beginning she blamed it on the idea they had been so close all this time that it was the change that was distressing her until she realised she didn’t miss the other Heathers. Just JD. 

“Something is moving up head.” Heather said, breaking Veronica out of her trance like state. 

All three of them tried to make out what it was, fear racing through them. Nothing, nothing, living was still alive. No animal or human from what they knew. So, something moving through the snow caused them to panic. They all stopped walking, staring at it.

The figure looked to be coming towards them, like it was walking. Suddenly, it stopped walking and froze, looking at them before waving it’s arms widely. “Veronica!” Was heard echoing around the land, just loud enough for Veronica to hear. 

“JD!” Veronica screamed back before racing, as fast as she could through the snow to him. He ran towards her as well and within moments they were caught up in each others’ embrace. By the time Heather and Kurt got to them there lips were sealed against each others and there hands in the others hair. 

Heather coughed, breaking them apart. 

“I was so worried about you.” JD admitted. “You never returned.”

Veronica nodded quickly, “we had to stop and take shelter over night.” 

“How far away are we?” Heather cut JD off. 

He turned to look back, and then pointed at the next house down, it was the next one but it was still far away. “It’s that one.” 

“Thank god.” Heather muttered and they all set off towards the house. “How’s Heather?” She asked as they walked. 

“Bad.” JD replied, looking anywhere but Heather. “Really bad.”

~~ 

Heather McNamara was sobbing over her friend. Heather Chandler was weakly patting her hair as she cried. “Why are you crying?”

“You’re getting worse.”

“I’m sure they found some medicine.” She said before coughs racked her frame, McNamara handed her one of the last tissues they had. Even more blood was coughed up now. Heather handed the tissue back, a grimace on her face. 

McNamara nodded and then stood, “I just need the bathroom. I’ll be back in two seconds. Promise.” 

Chandler smiled at her and watched her go, coughing again as she left. She couldn’t stop coughing this time, it kept coming. She felt as if she was chocking on something that wasn’t even there. Once she had finished coughing she rearranged herself on the sofa so she was sitting up, no longer lying. 

She knew she was dying, she could feel it. Almost as if a haze of mist was starting to cover her and once she was covered it would be time. Almost as if that haze was already around her neck. Heather, however, wasn’t scared. 

It was a first, she had always been scared. Scared of failure, scared of the other Heathers and then Veronica abandoning her, scared of her peers rejecting her. Yet, as she sat on the small sofa in the middle of nowhere in the freezing cold, she was not scared. 

“Are you okay?” McNamara asked as she walked back in the room.

Chandler didn’t want her friend in the room, alone when it happened. She didn’t think her little Mac would be able to handle it, not without Duke and Veronica beside her. It was going to happen soon, she knew that. “Can I ask-“ she paused as another coughing fit took over “-for a big favour?”

“Of course.”

“I left my mum’s ring in the car. Could you fetch it for me?” That was true, she had left her mothers wedding ring in the car. She had taken it before they left her house once she realised her parents had died. She wanted it on her when the buried her. 

McNamara nodded solemnly and hurried to get ready. She would pause to look back at her friend whenever a coughing fit happened but she was out the door within five minutes. Chandler knew it would take her at least fifteen minutes to get to the car, find the ring and get back. 

Her chest was on fire, every cough felt like a hundred and every movement felt like her bones were breaking. She persevered through that pain to move so she could look out the window at the white snow falling gracefully down. 

Nature had always been something Heather loved. The untouched and natural beauty of it, McNamara would always find her pretty leaves or flowers so she could keep them in her room and in her life. Constantly reminding her of the beauty that it out there. Watching the snow tumble through the air outside was a nice last view. She relaxed slightly, imagining the snow piling up around the cabin, capping everything in pure white. 

Thinking back over her life she smiled. Her parents were not the first to come to mind but her friends. Heather, Heather and Veronica had meant so much to her. They were the people she trusted with herself more than anything. Veronica had been some one she could depend on for anything so often, Veronica was the friend who would help no matter what. It was so rare for popular girls to have someone like that. The Heathers were luckily they got her, Chandler especially. 

She knew that she had been a bitch to so many people over the course of her life, and that she shouldn’t have done what she did but she had been so afraid. Her friends, however mean she had been, had stuck by her. She had always wondered if they only stayed with her ‘cause she was popular, but know she knew, knew that they didn’t. They saw her for her. 

If a student from the school saw Heather now, they wouldn’t believe it was her. Her skin was so pale now and her hair was brittle and messy tied up in a low knot against her neck. The top she wore hardly fit and the pants were to long. Sweat dripped down over her entire body and her eyes were sunken in and grey. 

Letting out a breathily laugh Heather sent a silent prayer to anyone who was listening. A prayer that Kurt would be okay, Duke would find happiness, McNamara would not be scared, and Veronica would have JD by her side. If they were safe and happy then she would be okay. 

She thought about what was going to happen next. Would she go to heaven or to hell? Was there a chance of seeing her family once again? Would she be reincarnated? Duke had once told her about Death in different stories, what he looked like and what he would do. She wondered which one she would meet. All normal thoughts for someone who was dying. The fire in her burned as if trying to burst out. The mist, she could feel it, was covering her. 

No, she wasn’t afraid anymore. 

The pain that once burned like fire had faded away to an icy numbness. Black filled the edges of Heather’s vision and the only thing she could hear was her own heartbeat. Her breath came in ragged, shallow gasps. Seconds passed as she lay there, then, she heard voices.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Going to be a bigger person and admit this made me sad...
> 
> Only one more update left before this is done. 
> 
> RIP Heather Chandler


	10. It took a solid minute for the noises to stop

Silence incased the living room. 

JD was leaning against the wall beside the fire place, Veronica resting in between his legs. Duke ad McNamara were holding each other on the armchair and Kurt was sitting on the floor beside the door. 

Heather Chandler was lying on the sofa, deadly still and pale. 

After the initial shock of what had happened settled they all felt drained, slumping down were they stood. JD tightened his hold on Veronica. No one had moved from their spots in nearly twenty minutes, all to caught up in their own minds. Snow still fell, the fire still crackled and the wind still whistled through the room but nothing felt real anymore. 

McNamara stood abruptly, Duke looked up at her startled, she reached into her pocket and produced a silver ring with a square diamond in the middle. “She asked me to get this for her.” She kneeled beside her friend’s head and lifted her limp right hand, sliding the finger onto her middle finger. Choking back a sob she rocked on heels so that she was sitting on her butt beside Chandler. “She asked me to get it. It was her mom’s wedding ring.” 

_Who knew the mythic bitch could be so sentimental_ , JD thought, before feeling slightly bad when Veronica let more tears out after McNamara spoke. 

“Was it the food?” Duke asked. “Or, what-what ever is happening?” 

“Usually they have to be asleep for the ‘thing’ to work.” JD replied, shooting a look at Kurt as he spoke. 

“So the food?” Duke frowned. 

Veronica frowned as well. “Can you die from off-soup?” 

“Maybe it was a mix.” McNamara suggested, “none of us are exactly healthy now.” 

“That’s true.” Duke nodded. “What ever happened, I’m sure she’s happy now.” She said the words with conviction but JD and Veronica could tell that she didn’t mean it. 

They settled back into silence. Perhaps they were all waiting for Heather to sit up and laugh, maybe even gloat about sad they all were when she died. Every pair of eyes would fall back onto her frozen body as they sat thinking.

Deciding she needed to move or she would go crazy, Veronica reached into her bag that sat beside her and pulled out the wind up phone charger she had found. Ignoring JD’s confused look, she started winding up the charger and plugged her phone in. It was stupid that they kept them, just dead weight now, but they had. All of them still carried their phones with them where ever they went for a sense of normalcy in their very un-normal lives. It took a few minutes of constant winding for her phone to turn back on, it had been dead for over two months, but when it did every turned to look at her when the noise echoed throughout the cabin. 

No one spoke, however McNamara did stand and poured a glass of water for everyone before going over to Chandler’s bag and pulled out her make up kit. Duke seemed to agree because a moment later the two girls were reapplying their best friends make up and redoing her hair. Making her into the Heather Chandler that she presented herself to be.  

Veronica continued to wind up her phone. 

It was still silent in the cabin when Veronica opened her music app and clicked on one of her downloaded songs. It was Heather’s favourite song, although she had only ever told Duke, McNamara and Veronica that. It was her guilty pleasure, an old song from 1989 that she would listen to whenever she could. ‘Like a Prayer’ by Madonna filled the room. 

Both Heathers smiled when they heard it but they also had to bite back sobs as all the times they listened to the song with Chandler flooded their minds. 

As the song ended Kurt stood quickly and marched over to his bag. The others all watched him intently, wondering what he was doing. Veronica was now absentmindedly winding the phone charger. He looked through his bag, moving stuff around and pulling things out and throwing them beside his bag. Once he was satisfied he turned back to face the others and spoke; “the world has gone to shit. It’s shit and we’re the only ones here.” He declared. “I’m fucking sick of it.” 

He turned back to his bag and pulled out a small metal handgun. 

“Fucking sick of it.” He muttered before placing the gun under his chin. He pulled the trigger. 

The ringing of the shot echoed around the cabin, mixing in with the screams of the others. It took a solid minute for the noises to stop. 

Duke and McNamara were sat still as a board, pale and looking at each other in confusion, shock and horror. JD and pulled Veronica tighter into him, she had her face in his neck and he rested his cheek on her head. 

Just as it seemed as nothing could go any worse, like all their hope had already been lost and like they were all doomed to die in this cabin another noise rang throughout the room.

Veronica’s phone rang. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DONE! 
> 
> Crazy!
> 
> It was a ride. Thank you to everyone who stayed with me! 
> 
> It was always my plan to end it like this, and I'm really glad that I was able to get it done. 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed it!


End file.
